FEATURING PHOTOGRAPHERS FROM ACROSS 2024

In photography, knowing your WHY can guide each choice you make, from composition and lighting to the themes you explore, ensuring your work feels authentic and meaningful. But it’s not just about the art of photography, but expressing what and how you feel and believe. Today, on this last celebratory show before Christmas, 23 of this year's guests once more reveal their own WHY in a compilation of inspiration to close out on the year.

From the mailbag, Mark Christensen sets out on his first street mission, Harald Kahles has some ideas for specials in ’25, Susan Larsson has found a social replacement for Insta, Peter Turnbull is making environmental portraits, Glenn Sowerby has found the secret for enjoying photography, and Allin Sorenson with a story of 370 million pairs of eyes staring down the lens of a television camera lens at Christmas.

Email your stories, thoughts, and pictures to the show. If you can optimize/resize photos to 2,500 pixels wide, that’s always much appreciated. If you’d like to support this show and have access to further content and the midweek Extra Mile show, we’d welcome you as an EXTRA MILER. There’s also our thriving Facebook group, a safe place to meet and talk with photographers of all interests, the Photowalk YouTube channel, plus the show is featured on Instagram, VERO and X.

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MORE ABOUT names, words, THE MUSIC and places FROM TODAY’S SHOW

The choice of chorister for the King’s College carol concert - a story covered by the BBC and New York Times.

Photographers sharing their WHY, in order of appearance:

Dana Stirling is a conceptual photographer and artist known for her evocative imagery that explores themes of memory, nostalgia, and personal history through meticulously constructed still-life compositions.

Yoav Friedländer is a New York based photographer and artist whose work blends miniature dioramas with real-world landscapes to explore themes of memory, displacement, and the intersection of personal and collective histories.

Jill Heinerth is a trailblazing underwater photographer, filmmaker, and explorer who captures the hidden wonders of underwater caves, advancing both artistic expression and environmental awareness.

Michelle Valberg is an award-winning Canadian photographer celebrated for her striking wildlife and landscape photography, with a special focus on the Arctic's natural beauty and its communities.

Josh Coombes is a compassionate hairstylist and founder of the #DoSomethingForNothing movement, using his craft to provide free haircuts to people experiencing homelessness while sharing their stories to inspire empathy and positive action.

Chris Herwig is a Canadian photographer renowned for his extensive documentation of Soviet-era bus stops, capturing the unexpected creativity and diversity of these architectural structures across former USSR countries.

Mary Jo Hoffman is an American artist and photographer renowned for her daily blog, "Still," where she captures minimalist images of found natural objects against white backgrounds,

Stephen Wilkes is an acclaimed American photographer known for his innovative "Day to Night" series, seamlessly blending thousands of images into single compositions that capture the passage of time in iconic locations around the world.

John Dolan is a celebrated wedding photographer known for his honest, documentary-style approach, capturing intimate, unscripted moments that reveal the true essence of human connection and celebration.

Emily Renier is a Belgian-born, UK-based documentary wedding and family photographer, plus Fujifilm ambassador.

Margaret Soraya is a Scottish landscape photographer celebrated for her serene and emotive images of remote and wild locations, particularly the Scottish Highlands and islands, emphasizing the beauty of solitude and connection to nature.

Stephen Dupont is a visionary photographer known for his powerful and haunting visual narratives documenting cultural diversity, conflict, and human resilience.

Al Brydon is a UK-based photographer renowned for his long-term landscape projects that explore human interaction with nature, co-founding the 'Inside the Outside' collective, and his innovative 'Solargraphs' series, which captures the passage of time through months-long pinhole exposures.

John Angerson is a British documentary and portrait photographer acclaimed for his in-depth explorations of cultural and religious communities, notably documented in his monograph "Love, Power, Sacrifice," which examines the Jesus Army over two decades.

Tim Clinch is a professional photographer specialising in food, travel, interiors, and lifestyle photography, with over 30 years of experience working for various magazines across Europe and America.

Glenn, AKA Black Crag is a fine art photographer and YouTuber from the English Lake District and beyond.

Tatiana Hopper is a photographer, filmmaker, and educator known for her evocative storytelling and insightful explorations of creativity and art.

Joe Madsen is a street photographer known for his project "Bloodwork," documenting his journey to better health through daily walks with his camera.

Jacquie Matechuk is an internationally acclaimed Canadian photographer and Canon Canada Ambassador, specializing in wildlife and conservation photography, recognized as the 2023 Nature Photographer of the Year and a 2024 World Photographic Cup gold medalist.

Jason Edwards is an award-winning Australian photographer known for his stunning wildlife and natural world imagery, frequently featured in National Geographic.

Chris Floyd is a British portrait and documentary photographer renowned for his evocative celebrity portraits and storytelling images that capture the essence of his subjects with depth and authenticity.

Peter Dench is a British photographer and photojournalist celebrated for his insightful and often humorous documentary work that explores British culture and society with a sharp, candid eye.

Lydia Robinson is a London-based, self-taught film photographer whose work focuses on storytelling, particularly highlighting LGBTQ+ relationships through intimate and authentic portraiture.

Hans Johnson is an award-winning film and television composer and the artist behind Nena’s Song.

Henry Hargreaves is a New Zealand-born, Brooklyn-based photographer known for his imaginative and provocative food art projects that explore cultural, political, and social themes through striking visuals.